New Girl Season 1 “Control” Recap 3/13/12

Jess brings home some new furniture, Nick and Winston argue over money, and Schmidt loses all control on this week’s episode of “New Girl.”

Clearly still embarrassed of being seen in public with him, Cece drops Schmidt off a mile away from the loft at the beginning of the episode. Worried about soiling his pretty suede loafers, he walks back barefoot and encounters Jess in the living room with a new piece of furniture: a large, wood hutch. Schmidt tells her that she can’t keep it, and Jess is angry because she wants to put her own stamp on the place.

The next morning, Winston enters the bathroom (with beer in hand) while Nick is brushing his teeth and they discuss last night’s crazy poker game. Despite the fact that it is written in black marker on his stomach, Nick has conveniently forgotten the fact that he owes Winston four hundred and eighty-seven dollars. Jess barges in still angry at Schmidt, but Nick and Winston both warn her to not mess with the dynamic of the apartment; Schmidt is the cooker and the cleaner– in other words, the mom– so they all tread lightly around him. Refusing to take their advice, Jess re-arranges the whole living room, including all of Schmidt’s things. When she mixes her cooking spices with his, it’s just too much for poor Schmidt to handle, and he breaks the hutch.

Later, Jess decides to take Schmidt for a walk by the beach to relax him and help him get over his control issues. After several failed attempts at things like bike riding and roller skating, Schmidt reluctantly makes friends with a band of musicians and loosens up a bit.

Meanwhile, Nick and Winston begin arguing over their debt. Winston has written up a letter that he reads to Nick, telling him that he doesn’t believe that Nick will give him the money. Winston decides to lower the debt to two hundred dollars, but they only end up arguing more. Soon, Schmidt and Jess come home, and Schmidt is proud to tell the guys how he washed his hands in a public restroom and is getting better at letting things go. Jess is proud, but Nick and Winston warn her that she’s not ready for what she’s gotten herself into.

And they’re right. Soon, Schmidt is ditching work, playing the bongos, and eating street meat from a not-so-sanitary looking cart. The dynamic of the apartment is ruined because instead of cleaning, Schmidt decides to make the roommates braided necklaces.

Left to their own devices, Nick and Winston end up having to go grocery shopping, but all they do is fight about– what else?– money. They end up getting into a slap fight, pretty reminiscent of what you might expect from two old ladies. Later, they forgive each other when they both realize how much they miss Schmidt. Jess comes home, admits her mistake, and decides to try to get him back to his old self.

After a touching pep talk and some bribery in the form of new Calvin Klein trousers, Schmidt decides to abandon his new bohemian lifestyle. Everyone is happy when he begins cleaning the dirty dishes in the sink. That night, Cece sneaks into his room for a late night booty call, and Schmidt realizes one thing: while he may not have much control in his relationship with Cece, he does have a certain special kind of power over her.